Rainfall Disparity: Ilorin gets heavy downpour, Kogi farmers left pleading

Ilorin, the capital of Kwara State, experienced a heavy downpour on Monday morning, ending a prolonged dry spell that had lasted several weeks.

The city’s last significant rainfall occurred on July 19th, 2024, prompting concerns among farmers and residents about the impact on crops.

The rain, which began at 7:10 am, was still ongoing at the time of this report.

In response to the severe drought, concerned Muslims in Ilorin and Osogbo, Osun State, and other parts of the country, gathered at various prayer grounds on Sunday to hold special prayers for rain, seeking to mitigate the risk of hunger and starvation caused by the prolonged lack of rainfall, which was affecting farm crops.

The NiMET 2024 rainfall pattern has forecast that “2024 Little Dry Season (LDS)” was expected to begin on July 22 in some northern states and may last up to August 18.

In Kogi State, the Government and all Farmers Association of Nigeria on Sunday called for prayers for rainfall following the devastating effects of drought on farm crops and food security in the state.

The Commissioner For Agriculture, Mr Timothy Ojomah and AFAN Chairman, Salihu Adobayi made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lokoja.

“We have to resort to prayers for God to help send rain to us in Kogi because we may not achieve the desired food production and security.

“For over a month now, there’s been no rain, and the devastating effects of drought in the state is going to hamper what the state government has done for farmers this year in terms of intervention.

“In fact, if things work right, we are expecting bumper harvests.

“Unfortunately, we are facing drought across the state right now. It has affected most of our crops. Mostly affected are rice and maize farms, especially those that are almost maturing. I was at my maize farm yesterday, and it was a pitiful situation,” Adobayi said.